The Slayers of the Zodiac
by StrawbrryX3
Summary: There are 12 slayers of the Zodiac. They are vampire slayers, the top and most elite of them all. Ichigo is included in this elite group as 'Cancer, the Crab'. He's been trained to hate and kill vampires - to erase their existence from the world. But what happens when Ichigo's foundation, the Moon, turns out to be a...Rated M for smut in later chapters.
1. The Slayers of Vampyres

**Request from one of my idols, Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo! Just think…if I had never found her stories, I wouldn't be here. So thank her! X3**

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**The Slayers of Vampyres.**

Kurosaki Ichigo was born and bred to be a vampire slayer. In the pathway of his wrath, nothing survived. Chosen as one of the best slayers, and referred as the 'Cancer' of the 12 Zodiac slayers. He was respected, and a spectacular warrior, but he couldn't help but feel the gaping hole and emptiness of something missing. He took on many jobs to distract himself from that emptiness, but on most nights, when the moon shone bright, he would feel whispers of caresses and words that tickled his ears. Only then would he feel a little more complete, not whole, but the emptiness was easier to bear. Often he would sit and think of why he became a slayer in the first place, as whenever he exterminated a vampire, he couldn't help but feel a distant and faint pain. As if he was not the one receiving the pain, but he could feel the dull ache of something else.

Why was he a slayer indeed? Ichigo hated to kill, but there was a cause. That cause was simple, and rather dumb. It was because of his teachings to hate vampires, to kill vampires, that he was a vampire slayer. Had he not been taught to be given a job and finish it at all costs, Kurosaki Ichigo might've have been a regular person. All children of the new age were brainwashed in a sense, the Gotei 13 assuring that one day, all vampires would be extinct.

So there he was, dressed in the clothes of the 'Cancer' slayer; a wine red cloak covering tight black clothes beneath. A tan pack hung from a loose belt and a katana was strapped to his back. The slayer moved quickly, his two targets realizing at the last minute their inevitable fate as black knives stabbed through their hearts. Removing the knives and hiding them back into the folds of his cloak, Ichigo bowed his head toward the unmoving bodies of the vampires.

Despite his teachings, Ichigo always chose the jobs to kill vampires who had committed crimes. These two had been drinking and killing innocent humans…so Ichigo had come punish. The male then held up a hand, the moisture in the air gathering to his fingertips. When the ball had become at least palm sized, the orangette closed his hand into a fist, the water bursting into a drizzle to soak the vampires. The bodies then faded, the trickling of water the only sound heard before Ichigo pressed a button on the choker around his neck.

"Cancer. Targets eliminated."

"Thank you, Cancer. You may return." A feminine voice responded to the report by a black earpiece.

Ichigo quickly ran back to Headquarters, or Sereitei, his body just a slight ripple in the air to regular humans. The light of the moon washed over him, sending a shiver down his figure. When finally at Headquarters, the male ate at the barracks then entered his room. The 12 of the Zodiac had separate rooms, each fairly large. Ichigo's was sparsely decorated, many throwing knives, and cleaning kits littering a long white desk. The male set down his weapons, shed his cloak and 'Cancer' clothes, and changed into a shirt and lounge pants.

He looked toward the large body length windows which let silvery moonlight stream in and set his large aquarium aglow. That pure light touched his face and Ichigo closed his eyes at the feeling of cool hands brushing at his face. The ache in his chest receded and the boy lay back against his sheets, content to feel feather light touches caressing his lithe frame. It was always like this-he would lay down to sleep and exactly when the moon's light washed over him, ghost hands would roam.

Ichigo moaned as one hand stroked his inner thigh and fingers prodded at his lips. Was it wrong to feel this? The slayer couldn't care less as these touches lessened the pain in his gut-his eternal pain.

"_Ichigo…" _That voice. It was always there. A whisper in the wind, a faint breath of sound that always said his name so lovingly. A hand was in his hair now, petting softly, causing him to lean slightly into the gentle motion. Then suddenly, it all disappeared. Ichigo sat up confused when someone knocked on his door once before barging in.

"Ichi-gah I mean, uh Cancer!" Honey brown eyes watched as a short black haired woman caught her breath at his door.

"What's up?" Rukia stood straighter, violet eyes worried. "Emergency meeting."

Ichigo raised a fine orange brow, swinging his legs over his bed to face his, for lack of better words, lieutenant. "Couldn't they have sent a Hell Butterfly?"

"That's the thing. _The Hell Butterflies have all disappeared."_

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11 Zodiac slayers stood, 6 on one side and 5 on the other. They waited for the oldest, Leo the Lion, or Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the leader of the 12 to seat himself at the end of both lines.

"I have called you all here because of an emergency. All Hell Butterflies have disappeared. All our scientists and mages are investigating, but none have come up with anything."

The slayers didn't say anything. Yamamoto opened his eyes slightly, eyes landing upon Ichigo.

"Cancer. The Hell Butterflies lie within your realm, the moon. Have you not _seen_ anything?"

"I merely speak for the moon, I believe that it has called-" The boy stopped, causing all the people to stare worriedly at him. His lips were slightly parted, usually warm chocolate brown eyes staring vacantly off into a world that none but him could see.

"Someone prepare to catch the boy once he is back." As soon as the old man said that, Ichigo shuddered and started to fall forward, only to be caught in the strong arms of Libra, the Scales. The boy opened his eyes, fear flashing in them before he pushed away from the stoic face of Kuchiki Byakuya.

"What did you see?" Everyone looked expectantly at the child who just stared at the ground before slowly lifting his head to look at Leo straight in the eyes.

"A Hell Butterfly. From within the darkness." The 11 others in the room leaned closer, surprised when the boy representing Cancer whipped his head around and stared at the doors to the meeting hall. They all immediately waited with bated breath-if Cancer felt something…then it had to be spiritual.

A single lone butterfly fluttered silently. It was all white unlike its black counterpart and glided like a ghost – no, like a beam of moonlight across the room to flap right in the center. A slight voice whispered, yet none could deny the smugness behind it.

_'I will take what you deem most important. Whether it be an object or person, I shall have it. I give you 5 days to prepare yourselves unless you desire a blood bath.'_

The butterfly then dissipated into light, returning to its owner. No one said anything until their leader smacked his cane hard in the ground, hard enough to leave yet another dent.

"There's no use in dilly dallying! Gather the slayers! Fortify all defenses! Protect Seretei at _all_ costs!" The Zodiacs left, hurrying out to perform their duties. Ichigo as well started to leave with Yamamoto beckoned him closer. The boy hesitantly approached, honey orbs wary.

"You saw something else." There was no lying against the Sotaicho, so Ichigo bowed his head in apology before looking away.

"One rides alone, on what creature, I do not know. He carries upon him a white katana, with the moon upon his back. He is confident, strong…and a vampire."

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**Cheesy. That's all I can say. I will update my other stories soon, I promise! Love you all!**


	2. Fate and Future

**I'm so happy you guys like it! Please also look at Christmas Present 2013! I have something updated there too! X3**

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**Fate and Future**

Ichigo was currently beside Yammamoto, watching people file in and report things on Sereitei. Many also came for him. They wanted his readings, his premonitions, or spiritual help. But mostly, they wanted healing.

"Cancer." When they finally were alone, Yammamoto stood at the window, his back to Ichigo. "If this battle does become bloody, stay hidden."

The boy opened his mouth to argue, angered that the Sotaicho would doubt his abilities. "I don't doubt you, but I believe that this stranger is after you."

Ichigo snapped his mouth shut at the comment. "You heal, and the four elements do circle around spirit. Spirit is the center of the universe. If our healer and past and future reader were to be taken…where would we be?"

"But…I-" The old man turned, looking tired and sad. "This is an order from Leo, the Sotaicho, Cancer. You will stay hidden if the fight turns bloody. Understand?"

Ichigo bowed, eyes closed, and stomach churning."U-understood."

"You're presence is requested, Cancer." A messenger was kneeling on the ground, facing the both of them from the open doorway. Yammamoto sighed. "Go."

Ichigo followed the messenger into a noble's home, where he was then led to a room by a panic stricken woman. She opened the paper door. "Master has been like this for several days now, haunted by the same dream over and over. Please, help him."

Cancer nodded before entering and kneeling beside the man lying on a futon on the ground. The man was tossing and turning, groaning in his sleep. When Ichigo suddenly touched his hand, eyes flew open, revealing startling wine colored orbs. "Calm down."

The man relaxed as he looked into Ichigo's dark honey orbs. "What did you see in your dream?"

"A-a tree. The leaves f-fall one by one. They all fall v-very slowly. When the last one touches the ground, I feel a burning sensation, then something ripping th-through my b-body."

When he finished, the man looked up from where he was lying to see the younger man's gaze far off and the formerly brown eyes glowing golden. When the moment passed, the orangette's face was unreadable – a complete mask.

"W-what does it mean?" The boy was still quiet, staring straight at the man on the ground. "My interpretations are simply what I see not what I make up."

Confused, the distraught man nodded. "The tree symbolizes your life. Every leaf that fell was a moment you lived. When the last leaf falls…that is when you will die. As for the burning sensation…that determines how you will die. "

"I-I will be b-b-burned to death?" Ichigo shook his head, still staring deep into the man's eyes. "Do you believe it's better to be ignorant and die a fool, yet happy, or all-knowing and die in fear?"

"…"

The psychic relaxed his gaze. "I can do neither. I have to be all-knowing, and yet I cannot fear the consequences of all actions due the truth I see. I could never be truly happy as no one can take this burden but a Cancer. That is the curse of the fourth Zodiac."

"I will return with a remedy for your …dreams. By then, choose what it is you want to know."

Ichigo stood and hurriedly left the home, giving the man no time to speak. The orangette didn't necessarily like being able to see past, present, and future, but he absolutely _despised_ interpreting dreams…nothing good had ever accounted from them. The truth about the man lying on his futon was that he would not die burning…literally.

He would be bitten by a vampire, and the venom would invade his bloodstream. The one who turned him would reject him, and in turn, his own blood would as well. He would go through the agonizing process of dying from his blood turning into poison – a horrible burning sensation not unlike your body being ripped into a million pieces. This only confirmed one thing – Sereitei was indeed going to be attacked in the appointed time, and the vampires would attack viciously and without remorse.

Cancer shook his head clear, entering a large closet filled with millions of herbs, potions, and other odd objects. This was his "cupboard" of all his concoctions needed to cure anything and everything. The boy climbed a ladder, locating the correct shelf, and pulling a small, smoky blue vial. It read 'Dreamless Sleep'. Ichigo lowered himself and was just about to leave when he turned suddenly, thinking hard before placing the ladder elsewhere and climbing to the very top.

He couldn't prevent the man from dying, but at least he could do this. Ichigo plucked a dark red vial even smaller than the one he had chosen first. It only held about a drop or two, as it is _very _difficult to procure the ingredients and make the potion perfectly. The boy dropped to the ground and returned to the house of the noble man. He was sitting up now, frowning deeply until Ichigo appeared. The psychic dropped the blue vial into an elegant, slender hand.

"One drop of this in your drink each day should cure you of your dreams."

"Thank you." The man bowed. Cancer stared straight into troubled wine colored eyes once again. "Your decision?"

"I-I would like to know." Ichigo nodded, closing a fist around the red vial in his cloak.

"Vampire venom." He didn't need to say anything beyond that. The man's face paled drastically and his eyes grew wide with fear and disbelief. "But, when the time comes, when your dream finally ends, that is when you should take this."

The orange haired man gingerly held out the small vial. "It can't counter the force of vampire venom, but it will buy you enough time to do what you have to do."

The man thanked Ichigo with a sad, heavy face, thanking him multiple times and offering money for the slayer – which the younger refused and excused himself from the suddenly dark aura of the house.

Those who died of the rejection of blood…Ichigo couldn't help them, only delay the effects for a while. That was possibly the only reason why he was a slayer. To prevent vampires from turning the ones they fed from. Or killing them in the process. To sum it all up, he wanted _peace. _

A peace that had only been workable in the olden days, where vampires and humans coexisted with one another. There was a legend that a few vampires ruled both races, until one day, they disappeared. That was the day the peace was shattered and vampires hunted humans, and humans killed vampires. Ichigo knew that vampires could drink from humans without causing any harm, or turning them, but due the troubled past, the vampires were branded as blood-sucking, savage monsters. Humans were dumb, clueless morsels that could do nothing to protect themselves. That was when the Slayers were created.

So what was this young man, a man that desired peace, doing as the fourth Zodiac Slayer, Cancer? The spirit of the 12 Zodiacs? He hoped that joining into a higher position would stop this nonsense and bring about harmony, but here he was, waiting for yet another vampire war to start. He couldn't change the future…

Unless…He gave into the stranger's request. If he really was the man's target…wouldn't it be better for everyone if he went along willingly? There would be no fight – no war – no pain.

_"You heal, and the four elements do circle around spirit. Spirit is the center of the universe. If our healer and past and future reader were to be taken…where would we be?"_ Yammamoto words resounded.

"But I can't just watch you all die for my sake." The boy sat on the floor of his spacious room, sitting with his legs crossed and eyes closed.

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A man chuckled to himself, the moon seemingly shining from him. A white katana glinted upon his back, and the creature he rode upon seemed to be made of shadows.

'It's been too long.'

He held out a slim hand, the shadows below him breaking off one small piece. The piece of darkness morphed, shifting into a black Hell butterfly. The butterfly danced around long fingers, playfully landing on the digits, only to flutter off a little when the man moved.

'But soon, I shall have my prize, the one I have been waiting for…for so long…'

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The vision switched.

Ichigo watched from a window, gripping the sill tightly – his hands white from the hard grip. He wanted to run to them, heal them, but he had stayed because Leo had ordered it of him to stay hidden. Currently, he was feeling many extinguished lives, as well as many flickering ones. Some of the flickering lights were even of the Zodiac Slayers. The psychic turned suddenly though, when he felt a presence heading in the direction of the building.

He quickly cloaked himself in a water mirror shield, or rather, a mist that concealed all that he wished. The orangette quickly masked his spiritual power and stayed stock still when a body came flying thought the doors. The boy nearly cried out when he flicked his eyes over to the unmoving man upon the ground.

Yamamoto. Leo, the strongest of the Slayers, was lying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

"I ask one more time, _where is he?_" Ichigo turned, but was unable to see the attacker. The Sotaicho was silent, glaring hard at the man that dared demand him something. "Alright then…it was your choice."

The intruder charged, and Ichigo could no longer stay silent. He held out his hand, spikes of ice shooting seemingly out of nowhere to speed toward the man. The man skillfully dodged them, the projectiles imbedding themselves at his feet.

"I knew you were here, Cancer."

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Ichigo snapped his chocolate brown eyes open, shaking slightly. That was the outcome of the war. The death and fall of Sereitei. Everyone would be killed…but him. That reality caused him to draw up his knees and rest his forehead onto them.

"Why me? What do I have that you want?!"

Fate cannot be changed. The future however…had many paths. Many believe the two are the same…but they are each different on their own levels. Fate is the outcome and grounding of your life. Future, was the path you decided to take. You would change the future slightly, but all would end in the same fate. In this case, that was not Sereitei's fate, but rather it's _future_ if they went to war with the strange man making his way here.

With that thought, Ichigo immediately stood and donned his Cancer cloak, attaching all his weapons as well. He knew what he had to do to change the path of which Sereitei went down…only he could do that – because that was the curse of a Cancer. That was the curse of his spiritual prow ness and time readings. It was his duty and his alone.

This was his fate.

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**Hahaha! I love mind tricks and metaphors! Hope you all got them! Like I said, check Christmas Present 2013! I sound like a beggar, pleading you guys to read my stories… T.T ~oh well….**


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